[chapter 9/11] I don't know how it happened, but it just did
Chapter 9
Jun pulled Mao back down to the bed calmly. As her head touched the pillow, Jun spoke.
“Don’t worry. Our flight is in the evening. For now, just stay with me like this...”
Mao relaxed and wrapped her arms around Jun’s bare body once again as she snuggled closer to him, enjoying every moment of being in his company.
***
Jun was greeted by an anxious Aiba when he reached home.
“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for so many days! What’s with your luggage?”
“Sorry, Aiba, I had to go on a sudden business trip to Germany.” Jun pulled a straight face as he lied to him. His acting was perfect.
“Could you at least tell us before you suddenly take off?”
“I was notified really late, and I had to frantically pack my bag and rush to the airport. Really sorry, ne.”
***
“What? You went to Germany? Any souvenirs for me?” Aiba grinned.
Mao laughed and gave Aiba a keychain she had bought with Jun in the airport.
“It’s so pretty! Thank you!!” Aiba was so happy with his gift, it seemed.
“But, Mao-chan, you didn’t tell me at all!!”
“Err... sorry, my crazy boss suddenly decided to send me on a flight.”
Aiba handed Mao a small red box. “Here! You gave me a souvenir, and here is yours!!”
“Eh, what is it?” Mao’s expression totally changed when she opened it.
“Mao-chan, we’ve been dating for more than 2 years now, and I’ve been thinking, it’s about time I asked you.” Aiba took her hands and continued,”Are you willing to spend the rest of your life with me?”
Mao could only stare at the sparkling ring in front of her.
***
“I did it!!” Aiba yelled as he burst into Jun’s room.
“What did you do?” Jun said in an uninterested tone as he clicked away at his laptop.
“I... proposed to Mao-chan!”
Jun was shocked, yet he managed to retain his calm demeanour. “And..? What did she say?”
“I think I startled her, though! She was so shocked. I’m giving her time to think about it.”
Jun went into thinking mode as Aiba left the room. He finally did it. Now, he was forced to put an end to this sooner or later.
“Oh!” Jun almost fell off his chair when Aiba barged in again.
“What?!!” Jun growled.
“Mao-chan also went to Germany!! Did you stumble upon her by any chance?”
“Ah... really? No, I didn’t see her at all.” Jun said calmly.
Just as Aiba left the room for the second time, Jun’s phone rang. heheard a shaky voice when he picked up the phone.
“Jun....”
“Mao-chan, don’t worry.” Jun said in a low voice.
“Aiba, he...”
“I know. He told me.”
“What do we do? What do I tell him? I really don’t know. When he asked me just now, I really didn’t know how to react.”
“Leave it to me.”
***
A few days later Mao waited for Aiba outside the Shibuya train station. She looked uneasy, as if she expected something bad to happen. She was still deep in her worried thoughts when he arrived.
“Mao-chan!!” Mao jumped in shock upon hearing Aiba’s high-pitched voice.
“You’re here.”
“Let’s go!!” Aiba took her hand and pulled her to follow him but Mao...
“Chotto, I’ve got something to tell you.” Her face turned into a serious one.
Mao took out the red box that he had given her and said,”Aiba, I’m... sorry.”
She pushed the red box into his reluctant hand.
Aiba could only stare at her, speechless.
“I’ve got someone else whom I like and would like to share my life with.” Tears trickled down her cheek.
Aiba’s mouth was wide open, too shocked to say anything. After a few minutes, he managed to mouth the words ‘Who?’.
It was then that he saw a familiar shadow walking towards the both of them. That shadow was so familiar that he’d recognise it even from miles away. Despite spending almost his whole life with him, the shadow seemed slightly different today. The way he walked, the way he carried himself, the aura that surrounded him, it was as if...the shadow only saw Mao-chan and not him. The shadow wasn’t walking towards the both of them; it was only walking towards Mao-chan.
He saw him place his arm around Mao’s shoulder. Honestly speaking, Aiba wanted to slap his arm away, but he was too petrified to do anything. The way their eyes locked, it was really impressive. They seemed to have some hidden connection, as if their every action was synchronized perfectly. He turned to look at Aiba with solemn eyes and spoke.
“Aiba, I’m really sorry. I know I shouldn’t have done this.”
Aiba was speechless when he heard his brother’s words.
“I know Mao belongs to you. I knew it from the very start that we were doing something wrong. But...” Jun looked into Mao’s eyes as he continued his speech.
“We truly love each other. I did not seduce her or anything; it just happened. I hope you can accept us. We beg for your forgiveness.” Jun bowed, his arm still holding tight onto a sobbing Mao.
Aiba’s words were almost incoherent.
“When... did... it start?”
Jun looked up at Aiba and answered firmly. “That day, the day that you brought her home and introduced her to us.”
Aiba found it so hard to accept. His girlfriend was cheating on him with his own brother?? And even worse, they got together on the very first day that they had met each other! If he didn’t bring her home that day, he wondered if everything would have changed.
“But, how can you do this to me??!! You know that I love Mao with all my heart!”Aiba yelled at Jun.
Jun remained calm and absorbed Aiba’s anger. “I do. I’m sorry.”
Aiba found himself backing away, and eventually leaving the both of them there.
Jun turned to look at Mao after Aiba disappeared from his sight. He knew it was best to leave Aiba alone for now. His only selfish wish was for his brother to allow the both of them to be together. He looked Mao, who was sobbing silently. He draped both his arms around her, enclosing her in his embrace. Mao clung on to his jacket as she felt Jun tighten his arms around her body. Her tears left their marks on his t-shirt.
Jun hoped that time would be of help to Aiba.
-end of chapter 9-
woooo~ what did you think of the turn of events? I know I'm being really bad towards Aiba, hontou ni gomen! XDDD
The last chapters will be up next week! Thanks for reading my story continuously :P
comments/feedback/opinions greatly loved :D
chapter 10 11